


Intertwine

by StarlightInfinity



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Original Work, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Original story and characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-06 12:56:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15195257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightInfinity/pseuds/StarlightInfinity
Summary: This is a sci-fi/romance novel in the works..  The planet Byta is home to thousands of Mutants as well as Changelings. However, they don't get along at all so the planet is divided between the two races. A young Changeling with unquie ablities is faced with a challenge...to choose between her duty or her heart...Will she choose her people? Or will she choose the mysterious Mutant that she has come to trust?





	1. Twisted Heart

**Author's Note:**

> hope ya'll enjoy and feel free to leave comments with feedback.:)

    Sirens scream out through the pitch dark night, piercing through the dense fog that surrounds the planet Byta.

 

    Selina ran across the Modi Plaza, frantically scanning the crowd; trying to spot her foster mother’s raven black hair. Panic rose in her throat as she stood at the entrance to the plaza, her heart pounding with fear as people rushed past her in the chaos. “Mamina!” she screamed. _Where is she!?!?_ Selina took a deep breath. _Calm down Selina, you won’t be any good to her if you get yourself killed._

Selina’s thoughts were going in five thousand different directions. All she could think about was finding her foster mom. _Mamina always knows what to do,_ she thought as she searched the plaza one last time even a glimpse of her mother. An unpleasant thought sprang into her mind. _What if Mamina doesn’t know what to do this time? Then what?_ Selina pushed her hesitant thoughts to the back of her mind. _If you don’t get it together, Selina… Kyris will die….Or you’ll get yourself killed._ Selina pulled her scattered brain together and tried to ignore the rush of emotions that came with her next thought. _Or Kyris will be as good as dead if he’s found by anyone other than you._

    She ran to the center of the Plaza and scanned the crowd that was headed to the disaster shelters that lay on the outskirts of the small Plaza. Mamina was still nowhere in sight.

   

Selina gasped as she felt something close down on her arm. She changed into a viper, poised to strike her unseen enemy.

   

“Selina?!?!” a blond haired female changeling exclaimed with shock.

   

Selina looked at her attacker and quickly changed back to her natural form. She brushed her navy-blue hair out of her eyes. “Sorry,” She apologized to her friend, Denada.

 

    Denada hugged Selina. She grabbed her by the shoulders and began steering her towards the disaster shelters. “We have to evacuate, Selina. The Mutants will be here any minute!”

 

    The two headed for an abandoned alley that was light by the fire red of the disaster lights.

 

    Selina removed Denada’s hands from her shoulders and looked her friend in the eyes. “I can’t leave without knowing that Mamina is safe.”

 

    “We have to leave now or we’ll be Mutant hostages!” Denada yelled over the deafening chaos that filled the city. She began to walk away.

 

    Selina felt a lump rise in her throat. “But what about Mamina? Or Kyris? She yelled after her friend. Selina’s heart pounded when she relieved what she had just say.

 

    Denada came back over to her and looked at her cautiously. “I don’t know a changeling who has that name,” she said in a low voice.

 

Selina felt a deep blue blush spread across her face. She hung her head, causing her hair to cover her face. “He’s not a Changeling.” she said quietly.

 

“What did you say?” Denada yelled over the noise grew beyond the alley.

 

“I said that he’s not a Changeling!” Selina yelled as she raised her head to look at Denada. She quickly dropped her eyes as soon as she finished speaking.

 

Denada put her hand under Selina’s chin, lifted her head up, and looked her in the eyes.

 

Selina couldn’t look at her friend. Helping a Mutant was treason according to the Changeling code. _How could I have so stupid as to say that out loud?_

“If Kyris isn’t a Changeling, what is he?” Denada asked.

 

Selina heard the fear in her voice. She looked up at her friend. “He’s a Mutant. He escaped from his tribe a moon cycle ago.”

 

“He!?!? Mutants don’t choose a gender.” Denada’s eyes widened. “The only way that could be is if…. He’s not a rogue, is he?” she breathed as if she was afraid to say what she was thinking out loud.

 

Selina nodded and looked her best friend in the eyes. “He is, but Denada….He’s just as trapped as we are. We have to help him!”

 

Denada remained deep in thought.

 

Selina searched her friend’s face. “Denada, please! He’s as good as dead without our help!”

 

Denada smiled slowly and looked Selina in the eyes. “I’ll help you. We all deserve a chance to live in freedom.”

 

Selina hugged Denada tightly. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! She breathed in a excited outburst.

 

Denada returned her enthusiastic hug. “Let’s go!”

 

Selina smiled and then changed into an eagle. Denada followed her example.

“We’ll have to work fast to get him out here in time.” Selina said as she headed to her dorm.

 

“Why?” Denada asked.

 

Selina looked over her shoulder at her friend. “Because we are taking him through the Underground Portal.”

 

“Are you crazy? You’re going to take a Mutant who has lived on the same planet for his entire life….”

 

“Maybe.” Selina interrupted her as she dove to avoid a cold up draft.

 

“Probably...besides, how do we know if we can trust him? You haven’t questioned him about why he is here?” Denada asked.

 

Selina couldn’t answer Denada for a minute. _How do you explain mindreading to someone who has never heard of such thing?_ She finally had an idea. “You know how there are Mutants who can read minds?”

 

“Yes, but what does questioning your friend has to do with that?”

 

“I can do that.”

 

“You can read minds? Can you read my mind?”

 

“I can’t read Changelings’ minds so I…. I’ll tell you later. I can only read Mutants’ minds.”

 

“That doesn’t make sense. Only Mutants can do that. But yet you can.”

 

“It doesn’t make sense to me either. I’ve had a feeling that after my Acclamation, the Council didn’t tell me everything about Sapphire Changelings.”

 

“Watch out!” Denada screeched.

 

Selina turned to see a vulture flying behind them. “Stay close!” she screeched to Denada. She dove into the back alleys with Denada close behind her. Selina changed into a German shepherd and hit the ground running.

 

Denada followed suit and landed on the ground next to Selina. “What’s your plan?”

 

“To figure out who that Changeling is and what they want. We can’t let anyone follow us back to Kyris.”

 

“I got you covered.” Denada launched herself off of a stack of boxes and into the air. The vulture made the mistake of flying too low and Denada bit down on the right wing. The vulture screeched and began trying to peck at Denada’s snout.

 

The two fell to the ground in front of Selina, fighting with feathers flying in the air.

 

“Enough!” Selina barked.

 

Both Denada and the changeling looked up.

 

“We can’t asked them questions if you chew them to pieces.” Selina said, looking at Denada.

 

Denada laid her ears back, but she let go of the vulture’s wing. She spat out a mouthful of soot black feathers. “I wasn’t planning on chewing up anything,” she growled.

 

Selina rolled her eyes and turned to the vulture, who remained on its back trying to figure out what was going on. “Show yourself!” Selina challenged.

 

The vulture rose to its feet and cocked its head sideways at Selina.

 

Selina narrowed her eyes and growled at the vulture. “Do it now or I just might mistaken you for a normal vulture and eat you!”

The vulture shuddered and then began to change. The vulture morphed into a tall, dark haired Changeling whose face Selina knew too well.

“Derril! Why in space were you following us? We could have killed you!”

 

Derril laughed. “If that was going to happen, you would have killed me at least six years ago!”

 

Selina rolled her eyes at her foster brother and morphed into her natural form. “You know it!”

 

Denada morphed into her natural form and brushed her long, silver hair out her eyes. “She might actually do it one of these days. You getting too good at acting like your host animal.”

 

“Was it supposed to be the hyena? Because the last time I checked, my host animal was the raven.” Derril laughed.

 

“Alright you two! We need to find Mamina. Derril, have you seen her?” Selina asked.

 

Derril shook his head. “No, I haven’t. I haven’t been back to visit her since this morning.”

 

“Well, we need to find her. Derril, can you help Denada find her? I left my training book back at my dorm.”

 

“Don’t we have more pressing matters to deal with right you? Your training book is the last thing to worry about right now,” Derril said in a matter-of-fact way.

 

“It is a top priority because if I do something wrong, I might obliterate all Byta in a matter of seconds.” Selina glared at Derril. “This is a really bad time to be a smart-alec, Derril.”

 

Derril looked stunned and slightly guilty. “Sorry, I forget that you’re not like most of us.”

 

“It’s okay...So can you help Denada find Mamina?

 

“I can, but its not safe to travel to the outskirts of town with the Mutant troops  approaching the city. The Council has already ordered all Changelings cities to barricade themselves and prepare for war. They’ll be barricading the shelters soon as well. We need to go now if we plan on getting to the shelters in time.” Derril said urgently.

 

“I’ll go with you, Derril. Selina can handle herself. We’ll wait for you, okay Selina?” Denada said with a questioning look in her green eyes.

 

“Go! Don’t wait for me. I’ll find a shelter near my dorm.” Selina reassured her friend.

 

Denada gave Selina a quick hug and whispered in her ear, “Stay in one piece. You’re the only friend I’ve got.”

 

Selina returned her hug. “You’ve got Derril. He can be a little full of himself at times but he cares about you.”

 

Denada pulled away with diamonds shining in her eyes. “I know.. Just stay safe.”

 

“I will,” Selina promised her friend. _I’ll be safe..I just hope I’ll see you again._

 

Selina was pulled out of her thoughts by Derril wrapping his arms around her in a tight squeeze that feel like her lungs were being crushed. “Derril...air please!” she gasped.

 

Derril released her. “Sorry.” He stared down at the ground, trying to put his thoughts into words.

 

Selina started to walk away when she was caught by Derril grabbing her arm.

 

Derril pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear, “Stay safe. If you get lost….” he couldn’t finish his sentence.

 

Selina stepped away from him. “I always know where home is,” she said quietly with a smile on her lips.

 

Derril nodded. “Go! See you soon.” He morphed into a peregrine falcon and flew off.

 

Denada flashed a smile to Selina, followed Derril’s example, and flew up to meet him.

 

Selina waved to them as they flew off. _Stay safe,_ you _two._ She smiled. _Thanks for being my older brother, Derril._

Selina changed into a peregrine falcon and headed to the sky.

 


	2. Shattered Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Selina returns to meet her rogue Mutant friend Kyris and to help him escape out of the clutches of the Changeling and Mutant government authorities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we get into the more exciting parts of this series. :)
> 
> Just a recap, Byta is divided between the Mutants and the Changelings and Selina is caught in the middle due to her unique abilities.   
> Enjoy and let me know what you think please!:)

# Shattered Glass

 

The entire city of Zraso below her was in full panic. Council workers were in the middle of the chaos, directing  Changelings to the closest shelter that wasn’t already full to the brim. From above, you could mistaken the escaping Changelings for a herd of cattle that was scattered in places and packed together in other places.

 

_I hope that Kyris didn’t decide to leave the dorm. If he did, it will be impossible to find him._ Selina flew up until she caught a steady, southbound current of air and flew towards the Modis University dorms. _Please stay where I can find you, Kyris. I can’t lose you too._

 

Selina hovered over her dorm, looking for anyone that might see her. The building looked deserted and the changeling guards that normally guarded the dorm entrance had deserted their post. _All the power has been rerouted to defending the city so the cameras will be down. And there is no one here except for Kyris which makes this a lot easier. Provided that we aren’t followed._ She shivered at the thought. _We won’t be...we’ll be okay,_ she tried to reassure herself as she descended down to the dorm.

 

Dorm 215 was set aside for Changelings that had unusual abilities. It acted as living quarters with security monitors included in the building unlike the rest of the living quarters at Modis University.  There were cameras and security in the halls but not in the dorm rooms, which allowed for privacy for the residents.

 

Selina landed on the ledge outside her dorm window and morphed into a spider monkey. She wrapped her tail around the drain pipe outside of her window to keep her balance, leaning forward to open the window. The window was always unlocked so getting it open was a piece of lupron cake. She crawled through the open window and jumped to the floor. She then morphed to her natural form and closed the window.

 

Selina pulled her sapphire headpiece out of her satchel purse and placed it on her head. She closed her eyes and focused all of her energy to the sapphire in the middle of the head piece, causing it to glow with a pale blue light. She opened her eyes and walked through her dorm, stepping over papers, styluses, and other school items that had been dropped on the floor by her roommates in their hasty exit from the dorm.

 

Selina walked into her room. “Kyris!” She waited a minute for a response.

 

The room was silent apart from the wailing of the sirens outside and the whispering of the wind against the window.

 

_Please be here!_ Selina thought frantically. She started to call again when she heard a stifled sneeze come from the closet. Heart pounding in her chest, Selina moved towards the closet quietly.

 

“If you’re looking for me, I’m right here.” said a low, deep voice from the corner of the room, the deep tone carrying across the room to Selina’s ears.

 

Selina rapidly sucked her breath and swallowed the scream that rose up in her throat. She turned around to look into the corner. “There’s no one here. You don’t have to hide.”

The shadow in the corner moved and took on the shadow of a young man crouched in the corner; materializing only enough to show his face. His vivid blue eyes glowed in the darkness of the shadows, making his fair skinned face and wild, raven black hair stand out of the shadows. “Are you sure?” he asked Selina under his breath in a worried tone.

 

Selina closed her eyes, sensing for any other warm bodies in the building. She smiled and opened her eyes. “Apart from Zarin’s horror pet downstairs, it’s only us. So you can stop looking like a floating head.”

 

“I thought you liked it,” the floating head said with a teasing tone in his voice.

 

“Only as much I enjoy hiding you. Not that you can’t take care of yourself.” Selina said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. She turned to look at the covered window that light up the room with red flashing light from the disaster lights outside.

 

The head stood up and the rest of his body materialized. He walked over the Selina and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “It will all work out. I wouldn’t even be alive if it wasn’t for you.”

 

Selina turned around to face him. She forced the words out as a mist gathered in her eyes. “What if it doesn’t work out this time? What if the Council catches you? Kyris, you know what they will do to you if they do! Not mention what the Mutant Senate would do you after the Council was done with you.” She bit her lip to hide the fact the she was trembling slightly at the thought of either of the groups killing him. She buried her face in his shoulder, trying to hide her fears.

Selina felt Kyris hold her closer to him and kiss her hair. She wished silently that they could have a normal relationship like all of the people she knew. Instead of dating a normal Changeling, she fell for a fugitive mutant; who she had hated everything about him in the beginning and had only agreed to hide him if he taught her about Mutant abilities.

 

All the time that Kyris had known Selina, she had always been strong. She always knew what to do even when things went south. To see her like this made him a little  worried. _I hope I can make out of here in one piece,_ he thought as he waited for Selina to calm down.

 

In the past month, the two had become more than friends, or even just an extraordinary Changeling helping a fugitive Mutant. Kyris had helped Selina expand her knowledge of her skills and in return, she had protected him from being found by the Council or the Mutant Senate. Several times, she had tried to send him off somewhere where neither the Council or the Mutant Senate could find him. Every time, he had insisted on staying. He had been suspicious of Selina at first, thinking that she would just turn him in whenever she felt like it. But the two grew to trust each other.

 

_How in the galaxy do you tell a Changeling that you care about her? Or might even love her?_ He thought, trying to not slightly panic at the thought of telling her how he felt about her.

 

Kyris was pulled back to reality by Selina shaking slightly against his chest as she tried to hide the fact that she was crying. He tried to comfort her. “You’re not going to lose me, Selina. I might not always be with you in person, but I’ll always be here. He smiled a little. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

 

Selina sniffed and smiled as she looked him in the eyes. She ran her fingers through his black, spiky hair that never seemed to get any longer than four inches long. “I know what you mean.” A shadow came into her eyes again.

 

“But, what?” Kyris asked looking down at her.

 

Selina shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

 

Kyris didn’t say anything for a minute. “You can tell me whenever you're ready.”

 

An explosion shook the ground and threw the pair to the floor.

 

Selina sprang to her feet. “We have to leave _now_!”

 

“Selina, wait!” Kyris stood up and grabbed her wrist.

 

Selina turned back to him and started to ask him what when she was cut off by Kyris leaned over the space between them and brushing her lips with a kiss. “What?” Selina asked with surprise in her voice.

 

Kyris pulled her close to him, looking down into her sapphire blue eyes. “I’ve wanted to tell you how felt for a long time but even now I don’t know how to put it into words.”

Selina put her arms around his neck, her breath brushing against his face. “Then show me.”

Kyris bent down, covering her lips with his. It felt as if time stood still and the only person in the world was right there in his arms. Emotion shot through him like a fire and he kissed her soft lips over and over again.

Selina returned his kisses with a fierceness that surprised even herself. She poured the three months of held-back feelings into her kiss, leaving them both breathless.

Kyris held her close, one arm wrapped around her waist; his other hand holding the back of her head, feeling the emotion blaze like a wildfire between them.

 

Kyris could have stayed there forever when Selina pulled back and looked him in the eyes. “Now is not the time for this.”

 

Kyris looked down at her, taking deep breaths trying to cool the fire burning in his chest. “I know, but if this is the last time that we see each other, I just want you to know….”

 

“To know what?” Selina asked, her excitement showing in her voice.

 

Kyris bent down so that he could see her eye to eye. “That I love you.” He held his breath as he waited for her to answer.

 

Selina’s heart started beating wildly in her chest. She ran her hand against the side of his face, stroking the black sideburns that melted into stubble along his strong jawline.  “I love you too.” She quickly kissed him, feeling the flame once more and then pulled herself out of his embrace. “But love won’t save our lives if we don’t leave,” she gently reminded him, calming her racing heart.

 

Kyris ran his fingers through his hair to clear his thoughts. “You’re right.” He walked across the room to the closet.

 

“What are you doing?” Selina asked as she pulled a backpack out from under her bed.

“Getting my stuff,” Kyris answered with his head on the closet. He pulled out a black duffle backpack. “I’ve kept most of my stuff packed because I figured that something like this would happen.”

 

“You knew that this would happen? Are you so important that your people would send their killers to find you and destroy half of the planet in the process?”

 

“Yes. To my people, I am that important.”

 

“But why?”

 

“I wish that I had time to explain. I’ll tell you as soon as we are safe.”

 

Selina nodded and slung her backpack onto her back. “Can you morph into an animal?”

 

Kyris grinned. “Every animal except for dragons. Why?”

 

“You’ll need to blend in and travel fast. A peregrine falcon is our best bet.” Selina took off her headpiece and put it in her backpack. She took off her satchel, pulled out a small package and placed the purse on her bed.

 

“What’s that?”

 

“It’s my serums. They can change objects’ sizes so that when you change sizes, your luggage will change too.” She opened the bag and tossed a glowing, blue vial to Kyris.

 

He took it gingerly. “Are you sure that this will work for me and not hurt me, right?”

 

“I’ve used it on you before and you didn’t notice. So yes, it’s  safe for you.” She pulled out a second vial out of her bag identical to the one that she gave to Kyris. “Put it in your bag. It only activates when you think about it. Just morph into your animal and then think about the size that you will be and voila! Your luggage is the same size as you.” She walked over to the window, put the vial in her bag, and morphed into a blue peregrine falcon. She flew up in the window ledge. “Your turn. Just don’t worry about it!”

 

Kyris took a deep breath. He morphed into a black peregrine and flew to the ledge. He landed beside Selina. “It worked!”

 

“I told you it would. Just follow me.” She took off with Kyris right on her tail.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you have enjoyed this so far. I hope to be adding once a week but with school coming up soon...I cant make any promises:) please left feedback for me! I'd love to hear all ya'll's thoughts in my work!:)


	3. Run For Your Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Selina and Kyris are fleeing from the Mutant Senate who all want Kyris dead for treason to his people. Hope ya'll enjoy and please leave feedback, I would love to hear your thoughts on this so far! :)

#  **Run For Your Life!**  

“Where are we going?” Kyris asked as he followed Selina.

 

“To the underground portal.” Selina replied over her wing absent-mindedly.

 

“Which is which portal, exactly?”

 

“The Porale Dei Mondi, which is the portal of worlds. It will take us to the only  planet that I know of where we’ll be safe on and has people who are like us. It’s called Earth.”

 

“That’s in the Ordal Galaxy and it’s where humans live.”

 

“How do you know that?”

 

“Mutant history books cover planets other than just Byta. Earth is the only planet in any known galaxy that has other Mutants on it. But they’re rare. Changelings are even harder to find there.”

 

“At least you can hide in plain sight. I have to morph into something, or someone.” Selina flew down a dark, unmarked tunnel. She blinked a couple times until she could see clearly again.

 

“You have other abilities that most of your people don’t have.” Kyris reminded her.

 

“That’s true. But  I have no idea why. I think that it has to be more than just  being the first Sapphire Changeling in a couple hundred years.” Selina landed on a ledge in the tunnel wall.

 

Kyris landed next to her. “Why can’t we fly straight into the portal?” he asked under his breath.

 

“Because it’s guarded, even when the above ground world is falling apart. The penalty for deserting your post is death.” Selina said matter-of-factly.

 

“Doesn’t that seem a little extreme?”

 

“Not when you’re guarding the gateway to other planets and galaxies,” Selina said softly as she peered around the corner.

 

“So how are we going to take them out?”

 

“As ourselves. I can use my sapphire to make them confused but then we have to knock them out.”

 

“And make sure that they can’t tell the tale.” Kyris added. He flew to the ground and morphed to his natural form.

 

Selina pulled out her headband, placed it on her head, flew down and landed on Kyris’ shoulder. “Don’t move until I give the signal.” she whispered.

 

Kyris nodded. “Be safe.”

 

 

Selina flew close to the ceiling of the tunnel until she reached a ledge that was high enough for her to see the guards but not low enough for them to see her. She closed her eyes and focused all of her power into the sapphire and breathed a silent command, “Confuse.” She directed the command towards the guards and they were confused within moments.

 

The burly guard on the left side of the door looked at his companion. “Hey Yden! Did you hear something?”

“No I didn’t. I thought you did.”

“No, you did!”

“No, you did!!”

 

Selina flew down to a dark corner behind the guards and morphed into her natural form. She looked past the two arguing twosome to see Kyris watching her. She nodded her head and he began to move towards the guards.

 

Kyris moved swiftly towards one of the guards and touched a pressure point in the guard's neck. The guard collapsed and Kyris did the same to the second guard.

 

“You didn’t even need any help.” Selina teased.

 

“I'm familiar with this kind of stuff. I was training to protect our president from my 10th birthday. I completed my training when I turned 16 and was assigned to the 33rd Special Mut. Division six months later.”

 

“So why did you leave?”

 

A shadow fell over Kyris’ face. “They wanted to change the job description to something that it wasn’t even close to.”

 

“What do you mean? It sounds like you loved it.”

 

“I did… up until they wanted us to hunt fugitive mutants simply because they wanted to live on the other side of the border. I pledged to protect my president… but that didn’t have anything to do with chasing fugitives. They told me that the fugitives were a threat to our president. I was on two missions before I had had enough.”

 

“What do you mean?” Selina asked as she dragged one of the guards to lean him against the wall of the tunnel.

 

“Just a second.” Kyris said as he laid the other guard to lean against the wall alongside his unconscious fellow guard. “Can you make them forget by any chance?”

 

Selina frowned in thought. “I’ve never tried that with my Sapphire but it’s worth a shot. I have a serum that will do the same thing.”

 

“Will that be necessary?”

 

Selina knelt down in front of the unconscious duo. “Just insurance. I don’t want to take the chance of them remembering that they were knocked out by a Mutant. If they were to end up remembering, that detail alone would cause some problems.”

 

 “Definitely.”

 

Selina closed her eyes and commanded the guards to forget what had happened in the past few minutes. She opened her eyes and pulled out the serum that she needed out of her bag.

 

“Do you think it worked?” Kyris asked as he glanced towards the portal.

 

“Maybe, but just to be safe…” Selina poured a drop of the serum on each of the guards’ hands. The twin single droplets were absorbed into the guards’ skin within seconds.

 

“That will work for sure?”

 

“Definitely. It’s fast acting so the effects kick in under a minute.” Selina stood up and brushed off her hands. “Now to the portal,” she said under her breath.

 

Kyris followed her down the tunnel.

 

“So what did you mean by you had had enough? I mean...you loved your job.” Selina asked she gingerly made her way down the dark tunnel by the pale blue light of her sapphire.

 

“I did but things changed from the time I finished training until 22 moon cycles ago. Leadership changed and with it, priorities changed too. I went from loving my job to hating it very quickly.

I always hated the border, hated the fact the government forced us to separate ourselves from Changelings. There was no scientific proof that Mutants and Changelings breeding together causes issues later on for their descendants. I didn’t .….don’t see what is so different between someone like me and someone like you.”

 

“You have to realize that we’re the exceptions to the normal for Changelings and Mutants. I know that I have mixed Changeling and Mutant abilities. But why, I don’t have the faintest idea.  You have abilities that go beyond the average Mutant.”

 

“About that…..that’s  why my people want me so badly.”

 

Selina suddenly stopped. “Why are you so important to them? You’re just a security Mutant. You’ve had special training but surely you can be replaced.”

 

“In this case, it’s more complicated than that. I’m not just a security guard. I’m also next in line for the presidency.”

 

“So you’re a prince essentially.”

 

“Essentially, and a  very powerful one. That’s the main reason why Zyre ordered his men to capture me. He’s hoping to put an end to my hatred of the border. But they don’t know that I know that.”

 

“Why not? Being next in line for the presidency seems like something that you would know about from like birth.”

 

“No one knows who the next president will be except for the president, who is bound by the oath that he takes when he assumes office to keep his successor a secret from everyone.

Before the Mutant Senate made this a law, the successor would be informed of his position once he was considered old enough. But even though this was supposed to remain a secret, information often leaked out. And often ended with the successor mysteriously dying.”

 

“What does he plan to do to you? Use you as a guard dog?” Selina asked as she resumed walking.

 

“Before I left, I figured out that he had been working with a group of scientists to find a way to control Mutants. If you control the Mutant, you control the power.”

 

“And with you, he would enough power to control all of Byta!” Selina said with a quiver of fear in her voice.

 

“Exactly…. Now you see why it was so important for me to leave.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me before? I would have had a very good reason to get you out of Byta.”

 

Kyris walked in silent for a while. “I didn’t want to leave you. If you had broken into the Underground Portals before now, you would have been caught. Soon or later you would have had to explain your motives for your actions. Which would lead the Council and the Senate right to me. And to where ever I had gone.”

 

“Even now, they could still find out who did it. The Council will send investigators to find the criminal. And you know what will happen to whoever they find.” Selina said matter-of-factly.

 “And we’re here.” Selina stopped in front of an enormous solid graphene vault.

 

Kyris walked to where he could see Selina’s face clearly in the darkness. “Selina...what if you come with me? We can through the portal and between the two of us, there could be some way to seal it behind us.”

 

Selina thought about his suggestion. She suddenly felt torn as she relieved that she had to choose between Kyris and her family. _I’d have to leave Mamana and Derril. I’d never see them again unless… No, there would be no coming back.”_

 

Kyris watched as the internal battle showed in her eyes. He knew how much Selina loved her foster mother and brother. He hated to do this to her, but he knew that if his president found her and knew that she was connected to him; the president would do whatever took to find him. _Zyre has already gone so far as to try to find a way to control me, if he’s succeeded, Selina would be as good as dead if he finds her._

 

“I’ll come with you.” Selina said breaking into Kyris’ thoughts. She saw the surprise in his eyes. _Oh lord, I knew that this day would come._

 

“Are you sure? If you go, you can’t come back.” Kyris asked, watching her face.

 

Selina looked up at him. “I’m sure. It’s too dangerous to stay, for me and for my family. If I stay, I’ll be endangering myself and my family.” She smiled. “Besides, I knew that I’d have to choose one day.”

 

Kyris looked confused. “How did you know?”

 

Selina smiled. “I obviously didn’t know when I first found you….and you almost killed me.”

 

Kyris grimaced. “It was an accident...when you’re running for your life, you don’t know who to trust.”

 

Selina laughed. “I know. Over the past couple of moons, I realized that you had become important to me. That importance changed into affection and grew stronger with time. Once you started opening up to me instead of being a mysterious guy with an icy attitude, I liked what I saw. In a lot of ways, you reminded me of myself.”

 

“Was I really that hard to tolerate when you first meet me?” Kyris teased with mischief in his blue eyes.

 

Selina rolled her eyes at him. “Definitely." She paused to gather her thoughts again. "I know that I’m important to my people but I don’t know the real reason or the intentions behind their reason. I had powers that I didn’t know how to control and you helped me by teaching me how to use them. I helped you learn about your abilities and how to use them without hurting yourself or other people.”

 

    “So...why didn’t you tell me before now that you cared about me?”

 

    A shadow fell over Selina’s face. She sighed. “When you live your whole life questioning whether you can trust anyone other than the people that you have known for… most of your life… and you’ve had your heart broken by the people that you did learn to trust; it can be hard to open up to someone like that ever again.”

 

    “What about Denada, Derril, and Mamana? They’re your family. Do they know about that?”

 

    “Mamana knows that I have a hard time making friends and trusting people, but she doesn’t know the reason. She just thinks that it’s from my childhood trauma. She knows about my powers but she wouldn’t tell me about them when I asked.

    Derril knows that I've had issues with dating relationships since the last guy I gave my heart to broke it. Denada knows about my relationship issues, and a little about my powers.”

 

    Kyris looked at the door that guarded the Portal of Worlds and looked back at Selina. “I can’t say that I won’t ever hurt you because that just isn’t realistic. I can say that I’ll always protect you, care about you, and I’ll do my best not to hurt you or break your heart…. It’s going to tough being in a world where we know no one and having powers and abilities that we can’t control sometimes….but it’s better than staying here.”

 

    “I couldn’t agree more.” Selina walked over the control panel for the door. “You ready?”

 

    “Are you?” Kyris asked as he looked up from adjusting his bag.

 

    Selina hesitated and took a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”  She started to type in the code to open the door.

 

    “Selina…” Kyris put his hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to do this.”

 

    Selina turned around to face Kyris. She looked at his face, trying to make a picture in her mind that she wouldn’t forget. “I know that I don’t _have_ to….but I _want_ to. You’re the only person in this galaxy that I wouldn’t be able to live without.”

 

    Kyris smiled. “Same for me. You drive me crazy sometimes but I can’t imagine my life without you.” He grinned. “Wait...I can."

   

    Selina laughed and playfully smacked his arm. Kyris grinned and gave her an innocent look. "I wouldn’t want to live any other way now that I know what life is like with you.”

 

    Selina blushed and smiled up at him. “Shall we?”

 

    Kyris grinned mischievously. “Shall we what?”

 

    Selina laughed and shook her head. “You bastard,” she laughed as she turned back to the keypad.

    She suddenly had a feeling that something wasn’t right. She sensed the tunnels for other life forms. Her brows crinkled with worry.

 

    “Uh-oh, I know that look.” Kyris said with concern.

 

    “We need to leave now.” Selina said urgently, typing in the passcode that she had. She swore under her breath as the code was denied.

 

“Why? Did anyone follow us? Selina, what’s going on?” Kyris stepped in front of her so that he could see her face clearly.

 

    Selina looked up at him with a shadow of fear in her eyes. “We might have company.”

 

    “As in who? The guards?”

 

    “No, it might be the Council...I don’t know who it is, but someone else is down here….And they’re heading in this direction!”

 

    “Fast?”

 

    “No, they’re not Changelings. I think they’re Mutants.”

 

    “Dang it!” Kyris ran his hands through his hair in distress.

 

    Selina quickly typed in her secondary passcode for the door. _Please be right!_ she silently begged.

 

    The heavy door groaned and slowly began to slid open.

 

    “Come on!” Selina hollered to Kyris. She ran through the small opening in the door.

    Kyris looked back up the tunnel and then sprinted into the opening behind Selina. He stopped next to her. “We have to close this door.”

 

    “Why did you see someone?”

 

    “No, but I could smell someone. And if it is who I think it is, we’re dead!”

 

    Selina swiftly glanced around the small room. “There isn’t a control pad in here that’s for the door!”

 

    Kyris looked around the room. “But there might be a power panel,” he mumbled under his breath. He turned around to face the door and squinted at a solid metal box in the wall to the left side of the door. “Right there!”

 

    “What are you doing?” Selina called after him.

 

    “Even if there isn’t a control panel, if I can cross the right wires; it will close the door.”

 

    “And if you cross the wrong wires?” Selina let her question hang in the air as she watched Kyris pulled the panel off the front of the power box.

 

    “Then it’ll blow the circuit and the door won’t move.” Kyris stated absentmindedly as he peered into the box.

 

    “Then can you wait to blow the circuit until after you get the door to close? I’d like to make it out of here alive.”

 

    “That sounds good to me."

 


End file.
